Getting Over Writer's Doubt.

[panda]

Writer's Doubt (noun): The excessive worrying that what you've written is complete and utter crap.
Not to be confused with
Writer's Block (noun): of or pertaining to the staunched flow of words.

Ok, so you've written the first page and your pen pauses mid-sentence. It dawns on you this is complete crap, no one will ever read. Your trash bin may even regurgitate the stuff you've written.

So, what do you do to stay your hand from crumpling that bit of paper? (Or ctrl,alt,deleting if you're typing lol) What motivates you to finish a novel? How do you cope with Writer's doubt?

[bettielee]

I am not being flippant:

I keep writing. I think I try to keep it going so fast my doubts don't have time to argue.

However, if you have a couch going with writer's full of writer's doubt, please move over and save me a seat.

[Arkie]

Writer's Doubt (noun): The excessive worrying that what you've written is complete and utter crap.
Not to be confused with


So, what do you do to stay your hand from crumpling that bit of paper? (Or ctrl,alt,deleting if you're typing lol) What motivates you to finish a novel? How do you cope with Writer's doubt?

Sometimes it helps to give it to a reader and ask if it makes sense.

[Darzian]

SYW tells all

[RG570]

It comes back to the million words of crap thing.

If you don't continue writing when it feels like crap, you can't get better.

It's not coping per se, but it helps to get through a project.

[Rolling Thunder]

I agree with those who advise you to keep writing, rewriting and editing.

[panda]

It comes back to the million words of crap thing.

If you don't continue writing when it feels like crap, you can't get better.

It's not coping per se, but it helps to get through a project.

You're right, I just need to trudge through.

[cherubsmummy]

I don't cope well at all. I am currently reading "The Courage to Write - How Writers Transcend Fear", by Ralph Keyes. It is alleviating my self loathing.

[panda]

Thanks for the book rec, will check out. :)

[blacbird]

Sometimes it helps to give it to a reader and ask if it makes sense.

I imagine it could help quite a lot if the reader happened to be an editor who would say, "Yes, we'll accept this for publication."

caw

[Rowan]

Writer's Doubt (noun): The excessive worrying that what you've written is complete and utter crap.
Not to be confused with
Writer's Block (noun): of or pertaining to the staunched flow of words.

Ok, so you've written the first page and your pen pauses mid-sentence. It dawns on you this is complete crap, no one will ever read. Your trash bin may even regurgitate the stuff you've written.

So, what do you do to stay your hand from crumpling that bit of paper? (Or ctrl,alt,deleting if you're typing lol) What motivates you to finish a novel? How do you cope with Writer's doubt?

I agree with those who said keep writing. Speaking only for myself: first drafts are always crap. I tend to write really fast and when I start to edit there are portions that don't even make sense (oh, the dialogue :Shrug:). I throw caution to the wind when I'm writing the first draft because if I stopped every time I thought something was really bad I'd never get anywhere. It's when you start to edit that your WIP really starts to shine! :)

[errantruth]

I'm too busy to doubt. It doesn't have a place in the process. I abandon everything but the pleasure of the chase, of the story, of the process of creation.

All energy, all creation, all focus. All conscious thought on the story, on catching it. Not on myself.

[Ruv Draba]

If you don't know whether your writing is crap, it probably is. (The reverse however is not true. :tongue)

Assuming that your current writing's crap, then what?

[panda]

Make it not crap???

I think there was a spell for this in Harry Potter, Alohomora. No, wait that was for opening doors lol. :D

[Rowan]

Make it not crap???

I think there was a spell for this in Harry Potter, Alohomora. No, wait that was for opening doors lol. :D

Edit the crap out of it, Panda. Your problem sounds more like a lack of confidence and not a lack of ability. Don't give up! Never give up. :)

[panda]

Edit the crap out of it, Panda. Your problem sounds more like a lack of confidence and not a lack of ability. Don't give up! Never give up. :)

Sweet of you to say. ;) And to add to your discerning psychological insight yeah I need to work on the confidence thing. But I'll keep writing. Thanks :)

[Amarie]

I'd actually worry more if a writer said they never doubted their work. You just have to realize doubt is part of the process.

[t.c.laing]

When I read the title of this topic I thought "I don't think that's possible." And in truth Writer's Doubt probably isn't something you can get over, even for published writers (not having been published I'm speculating here :D ), unless of course you give up writing altogether - then the point is moot.

I write stuff I think is brilliant at the time, then go back and edit to death. Sometimes I flip back and forth, making multiple edits only to put back the original stuff. Or I write stuff I think is awful, but then it turns out to be one of my beta reader's favorite parts. I'm beginning to think writers naturally have a certain amount of obsessive-compulsive behavior balanced by gritty determination.

[kaitlin008]

I'd actually worry more if a writer said they never doubted their work. You just have to realize doubt is part of the process.
Agreed.
If I'm feeling like everything that's coming down onto the page is crap, sometimes I try switching to a different scene and then come back to what I was doing before. Or just plug slowly through. And remind myself that, ultimately, I write because I love to, and while I hope someday it will be validated, I'll still love writing even if I'm never published.

[Libbie]

Tell the voice to STFU and keep going. Everybody doubts the quality of their work at one point or another (even me, and I'm infamous for my confidence in myself.) The people who successfully complete their works in progress are the people who soldier on anyway.

Once you've finished your draft, find a few good betas to help you make it better. Undoubtedly some of it will be crap -- there's crap in every draft, even drafts written by your favorite authors. It'll be weeded out later, after you've had some betas read it and give you feedback.

By the way, a good beta will tell you what you're doing right in addition to what you're doing not-so-right. It always helps silence the voice when you hear some praise. :)

[Serious Desi]

When I realize I've written total crap I go into denial about it.
Then I go into writer's block for a day.
And then I force myself to continue writing.

It's only the first draft. ( Or the second, or the third...when I get into the double digits I think that might really bother me.)

I think all you can do is keep writing. You never know, maybe a month later you'll come back to that crap scene or line and find that it really wasn't so bad.

Hugs:Hug2:

[Shail]

I transfer my frustration to a physical object. I keep an ugly doll that I named "Doubt and Fear" and I look at her and yell "You can't make me stop. I'll write whatever I want and fix it later." That usually works. If not, I toss her across the room. That almost always works.

[thewakingself]

What I do? Angst and flail and generally be a temperamental, self-loathing, self-flagellating artist about the situation.

THEN. Then I have a trusted beta read it. Who invariably pets me on the head just before kicking me in the arse and tell me to effing suck it up already and get on with it.

Keep on keepin' on. It's typical. If you stop doubting your work... it's like doubting your crazy. When you stop is when you should worry. :)

[Priene]

I'm teaching myself to write slowly, and to make sure each sentence I write is at least an acceptable standard. It doesn't mean it won't be edited to death as well, but it does stop me binning everything as soon as I look at it.

[Katrina S. Forest]

I try to keep writing. If I'm enjoying writing the story, even when I think it's crap, usually there ends up being something salvageable in the work. However, if it gets to a point where I don't even want to write it anymore (after many attempts to get back into it), I may take it as a lesson that XYZ didn't work, and move onto something else.

In either case, I don't believe any piece of writing is ever wasted. Anything you write helps you to grow as a writer, whether it ultimately becomes published or ultimately lines the inside of a trash can.

Yes, successful authors do go through this. So say the NaNoWriMo pep talks, anyway. ^_^

imo, the important thing is to never doubt yourself as a writer. You can doubt the piece you're working on, it may ultimately need the ax, but trust that you will pick yourself up and write something better.

[aadams73]

Lone voice of dissent here. I think it's okay at that point to stop, look it over, and ask yourself if this is a really viable idea. Can a story grow from that initial seed? If the answer is yes, keep on writing! If not, it's okay to set it aside, or rework it until you've got an idea that has what it takes to carry a whole story.

[Stunted]

Oh, man, I have SO been in your shoes.

When this happens, you should just sit down and remember why you wanted to write this story in the first place, how much you like the characters, how dramatic it will be when you hit that great plot point.

Also, if I understand correctly, you're at the very beginning of a story. Keep in mind that it may take you a few pages to get into your character's voice, and it may take you a hundred pages to realize what story you're really trying to tell.

To prevent this problem in the future, maybe you should commit yourself to only writing the real gems of ideas that come your way and letting it simmer for a little while before you get going.

Also, you should never think of yourself as incapable of writing something. It's not "I'm not good enough," it's "I'll write this and see how it is and then haul ass and then it'll rock."

Good luck!

[Charissa]

I post it on WorthyOfPublishing.com
The critiquers there, which I swear are all pre-teens, are so gentle and 'nice' that they give out '5 stars' all the time.

And who doesn't want a 5 star to boost their enthuisiasim?

[Charissa]

Just before I left the WorthyOfPublishing cult, I started to go around giving all these kiddies 1/2 - 2 1/2 star ratings with constructive critisism because of their poor plot/gramma/character developements/writing style.

I recieved much hate mail.

[Pepper]

Panda, there was a guy in a writing group back in school who thought that every word he wrote was gold, pure gold. He beamed with pride constantly. He bragged about how quickly he was writing his magnificent, glorious masterpiece. I read (unfortunately) the first 2 pages, and THEY were complete crap.

If you have no doubt about your work, if you think what you're writing is great, you won't be careful of the words you write, and you certainly won't edit. That's what makes work crap.

Get through your WIP, confident in the knowledge that you, as a writer, have the ability to tinker until it is golden. Get a chuckle from the fact that people like the dude mentioned above will be knocked down some serious pegs when they try to get their work published.

I'm mean, I know. :D

[motormind]

Edit the crap out of it, Panda.

This kind of advice usually only causes insecure writers to keep on editing their material until there is almost nothing left. My advice would be: write, edit until you feel you have something halfway worthwhile, then write new stuff. You can always return to your old writings to see if they still hold up to scrutiny. I usually find my old stuff very passable without any heavy re-writes, simply by looking at them with fresh eyes.

[Elegy]

I am so guilty of being my own worst critic. I criticize myself for criticizing myself.

I am full of loathing for my current project... but I'm going on with it anyway. I like the story. I like the other stories this story wants me to write. And I love writing.

Still, the idea of me getting published is, to me, quite laughable.

What I find funny about this post, though, is that people have pointed the OP the SYW... where the OP (and most of the rest of us) would be told it isn't good enough yet to be there.

[Rufus Coppertop]

Apparently Hemingway said that the first draft of anything is crap.

You need to write something that's crap before you can decrappify it.

My first draft is crap from a craft of writing point of view.

It has POV shifts, dialogue which is self-indulgent and contributes nothing to the plot and glaring examples of telling instead of showing. It also has bits of authorial intrusion coming in with quirky metaphors and humourous prose.

But, it does have a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. People who have read it, haven't needed to ask why did this happen? Why did that happen?

What you need to do is allow yourself to write crap. Just make sure it's crap with a beginning, a middle and an end and that it's not totally confusing to the reader.

Once you've done that, put bits of it up in the Share Your Work forum. Ask specific questions about it or just sit back and see what feedback you get.

Don't hesitate to ask questions about the feedback you receive. Seek clarification of various points made that you don't understand.

[scarletpeaches]

I have no illusions that some of what I write on the first draft is crap - by my high standards. I just don't care. That's what a first draft is for.

Once I've finished the book, I edit it out. The story's sound, it's just prose tightening.

[panda]

Thanks for all the comments everyone.

Apparently Hemingway said that the first draft of anything is crap.

You need to write something that's crap before you can decrappify it.

My first draft is crap from a craft of writing point of view.

It has POV shifts, dialogue which is self-indulgent and contributes nothing to the plot and glaring examples of telling instead of showing. It also has bits of authorial intrusion coming in with quirky metaphors and humourous prose.

That's bad lol? ;)

Once you've done that, put bits of it up in the Share Your Work forum. Ask specific questions about it or just sit back and see what feedback you get.


Yes, critiquing's a good idea, but at the mo' it's not even ready for Sandbox yet.

[Wayne K]

I'm not deluded enough to think I'm a great writer...yet.

I am deluded enough to think I have the potential, and I'll strive for that till they're throwing dirt in my face. I do think I'm pretty good, and I know for a fact I'm getting better. It's all about writing.

Now, back to the new WIP.

Good night all.

[Rowan]

This kind of advice usually only causes insecure writers to keep on editing their material until there is almost nothing left. My advice would be: write, edit until you feel you have something halfway worthwhile, then write new stuff. You can always return to your old writings to see if they still hold up to scrutiny. I usually find my old stuff very passable without any heavy re-writes, simply by looking at them with fresh eyes.

Motormind... :hi:
Uh, that was actually meant to be somewhat humorous following Ruv's funny post...please don't take it so seriously. If you write a line that is "crap" or sounds "crappy", then you can edit that particular crap out of it, whether it's a single word or a matter of phrasing. [That isn't to say you go on a hog-wild sentence shredding spree because you have no direction or plot to speak of] When in doubt, take a step back or have someone else read it. Some folks edit as they write, others write a chapter and then immediately edit that chapter while others write the entire MS and then go back and edit later. I personally employ all three methods. If I'm in a mood or distracted I tend to write less and edit as I go. I prefer to write a chapter, read back through it and then do a light edit. The major editing comes once the work is done and the read-throughs begin. You have to do what works for you personally and above all, seek out a Beta or a second pair of eyes when the time comes to review the final product.
:)

[SarahMacManus]

I open a bottle of Shiraz and read Twilight.

If that doesn't provide some healthy perspective, I sit back and let it stew for a while. When I go back, I can usually find something worthy of ressurection.

I also understand that doubt and self-loathing is part of the writing process. I acknowledge it and embrace it and realize that mid-manuscript is the wrong time to address these issues. I keep writing, knowing (at least intellectually and from experience) that I can't call it crap until it's finished. I can't call it anything until the first draft is done.

If the first draft is crap, that's something different.

And then I decide to reconcile myself to the fact that crap is subjective. That I may NOT be capable of writing to the level that I wish I could, but that doesn't mean the work isn't enjoyable or worthwhile or can't find a readership. Just because I want to write Watership Down, doesn't mean I can. However I do know that I'm capable of writing entertaining and thoughtful fiction.

There's no 10.0 in fiction. There's no perfect score. Art is subjective and all you can do is all you can do. You just have to accept that.

And shiraz helps.

[Nakhlasmoke]

I just tell myself that yah, it's crap, but no-one's ever going to read it so that's fine.

And if I convince myself that I'm writing it just for me, I tend to get over the crippling doubt.

The other thing of course, is to just give yourself permission to write crap, keep slogging, and say to yourself the whole time "everything can be fixed in revisions".

[motormind]

I open a bottle of Shiraz and read Twilight.


If in doubt, you could also try to read the Left Behind series.

In any case, I prefer a nice Cabernet Sauvignon ;)

[Straka]

I write something. Love it. Read something else. Get writer's doubt. Clean up my writing. Love it. Read something else. Get writer's doubt. Anger ensues. Re-write my scene fro scratch. Feel Ok about it. Send it out to betas. Doubt returns.

Going back and reading my first draft and seeing how much better it is now, makes me a) laugh at myself and b) smile.

[cscarlet]

I don't think I have self-doubt, but I do think my work thus far has been crap. The difference is, I know I like the premise of my story so I can go back and fix it. I'm hoping to finish my WIP this month, and then let it rest, and then come back and edit edit edit. Repeat. When I'm done with that I'm going to throw it to some (hopefully willing) beta beasts and hope I get valuable enough feedback to be able to edit some more. I don't even know if I'll ever TOTALLY be happy with this particular MS because it's my first one, and I can acknowledge that I'm learning. That being said, I think we're ALWAYS still learning. If you like the premise of your story, WORST case scenario is that you're left with an outline that you can pull "what works and what doesn't" from, to repeat the above process over again, to eventually reach a finished product that you may NOT (finally) think is total crap :)

[BigRed]

Personally, I think all writers (well, good ones anyway) go through hills and valleys when they write. There are days when I look at my current WIP and think 'you're gold, baby!'. And others where I think 'okay, this is shit'. But if the idea is sound, then just remember that a first draft is simply that...getting that idea on to the screen, spewing it out, emptying your thoughts on to the parchment. And when you are done, you go back and shine it up until it glows. If you do that, I think the self-doubt will be a lot less painful. As others have said, the key is to keep writing!

[Dicentra P]

I don't think I've written anything that wasn't crap. Some of it I've edited up to the level of drivel. When I get to schlock I'll hit the share your work forum and see if something can be made of it. This from someone who does a substantial amount of prep work mentally before hitting the keyboard. In college I wrote several papers in single drafts (pre-word processing days) and still got A-B grades. Admittedly I was more nimble of mind and finger then.

For fiction writing I believe that even if I abandon a work after a first draft I will have learned something in the process that I can bring to a future work.

[willietheshakes]

I'm going to deviate a bit from what seems like the party line here.

If you're anything like me, my advice to the sense that what you've written is crap is this: get used to that feeling.

Seriously.

I think, like a lot of writers, I'm plagued by insecurity and uncertainty. I spend a lot of time thinking that everything I write is crap.

(shrugs)

It's just the way it is. Develop skills to work anyway, and take solace in those moments where you think, maybe, you've got something.

Oh, and drink. Heavily.

(That last piece of advice was sarcasm and is in no way intended as actual advice or lifestyle tutelage. The author is not a doctor or therapist, and he does not play one on tv.)

[S.J.]

If you have no doubt about your work, if you think what you're writing is great, you won't be careful of the words you write, and you certainly won't edit. That's what makes work crap.

I totally agree with Pepper up there!

Aside from that, denial is the only thing you can do to combat the doubting, methinks. Otherwise you just have to kind of... work around it. Or through it. Or whatever.

:)

[wittyusernamehere]

Here's what I tell myself:

1) On the writing hierarchy, writing crap is still better than not writing at all. So ... yay! Not on bottom rung as long as you are still trying.
2) Delete key isn't going to disappear. Keep writing now and decide later what parts are too awful to see the light of day.
3) Anne Lamott has this great quote that goes something like "perfection is the voice of the oppressor." I want this stenciled to the wall above my desk.

[panda]

(That last piece of advice was sarcasm and is in no way intended as actual advice or lifestyle tutelage. The author is not a doctor or therapist, and he does not play one on tv.)

Wha...I'd just got a bottle of shiraz ready, the advice was just getting good lol. ;)

I actually liked twilight (yes, I know there goes all my street cred down the philosophical drain)

On the writing hierarchy, writing crap is still better than not writing at all. So ... yay! Not on bottom rung as long as you are still trying.


Yeah, I seem to be fluctuating now back to Writer's Block, like a terrible pendulum, I need to actually write today, or else I will never reach my crap word count goal. :) I wonder if writing is not so much about creativity as being ridiculously determined now in retrospect.

Thank you to all the posters. You're very kind. I'll try not beat myself up anymore and just write instead.

[Ken Hoss]

"Never give up, never surrender"
Commander Peter Quincy Taggart
(from Galaxy Quest)

:D

Me? I just keep going, because I know that when I read it again later, I'll end up editing edit the crap out of it. (Crap! I edited this 3 4 times before posting!) :tongue

[MGraybosch]

So, what do you do to stay your hand from crumpling that bit of paper? (Or ctrl,alt,deleting if you're typing lol) What motivates you to finish a novel? How do you cope with Writer's doubt?

I cope with writer's doubt by accepting the possibility that what I'm writing may very well be crap. However, I won't know for sure if it's crap until it's finished.

[Straka]

I'm going to deviate a bit from what seems like the party line here.

If you're anything like me, my advice to the sense that what you've written is crap is this: get used to that feeling.

I think that is an important stage to reach. If you are trying to get published, because that isn't always the person's objective, then you need to get your nose bloody with some bad crits. Then you go back and try again.

[Libbie]

Just before I left the WorthyOfPublishing cult, I started to go around giving all these kiddies 1/2 - 2 1/2 star ratings with constructive critisism because of their poor plot/gramma/character developements/writing style.

I recieved much hate mail.

Sounds like fun! ;)

[Cliff Face]

I take solace in not knowing what exactly constitutes good...

I mean, the first musical instrument I bought was a drumkit. Then another drummer told me, "You're not a musician - you're a percussionist." Woohoo.

Then I start writing, and someone tells me that writing isn't an art, it's a craft. Woohoo again.

So basically my line of thinking is that if drums are a staple of most bands but they are fundamentally different, then trying to write art and failing may just mean that you've written good craft. Who knows?

And yes, you can totally tell that I formulated that opinion not one minute ago. :)

[motormind]

I take solace in not knowing what exactly constitutes good...

I mean, the first musical instrument I bought was a drumkit. Then another drummer told me, "You're not a musician - you're a percussionist." Woohoo.


And a percussionist is not a musician? Durrr... That drummer is a moron.

Motormind... :hi:
Uh, that was actually meant to be somewhat humorous following Ruv's funny post...please don't take it so seriously.

I'm not known for my sense of humor.

[mscelina]

My advice? Wait until you have the story down on paper before you start worrying over whether it's crap or not. Right now, getting the story out is more important than its relative worth. Then, after you've done a couple of drafts and edited it carefully, let a couple of betas have a gander at it.

Then you can start worrying about how to fix whatever is wrong with it. Until then, you're just worrying yourself needlessly. Just keep writing. :)

[Rowan]

And a percussionist is not a musician? Durrr... That drummer is a moron.



I'm not known for my sense of humor.

Noted! ;)

Cheers!

[Ken Hoss]

My advice? Wait until you have the story down on paper before you start worrying over whether it's crap or not. Right now, getting the story out is more important than its relative worth. Then, after you've done a couple of drafts and edited it carefully, let a couple of betas have a gander at it.

Then you can start worrying about how to fix whatever is wrong with it. Until then, you're just worrying yourself needlessly. Just keep writing. :)

Or post parts of it on the SYW forum for the genre your writing, and wait for the responses. But beware, you'd better have a pretty thick skin, and take criticism well. *

*I know from experience.

[mscelina]

The SYW forum here is an excellent place to get feedback from a cross-section of feedback from any number of readers with different tastes and preferences.

Of course, in order for the SYW function to work as it's supposed to, be sure you hop in there and GIVE feedback on other people's work while you're waiting for crits on your own.

[Ken Hoss]

Of course, in order for the SYW function to work as it's supposed to, be sure you hop in there and GIVE feedback on other people's work while you're waiting for crits on your own.

Absolutely! Thanks for bringing that up, neglected to mention it. I always try to give some kind of feedback to others on the SYW forums. (I'll scratch your back, if you scratch my back.) :D

[SarahMacManus]

Wha...I'd just got a bottle of shiraz ready, the advice was just getting good lol. ;)

I actually liked twilight (yes, I know there goes all my street cred down the philosophical drain)

Thank you to all the posters. You're very kind. I'll try not beat myself up anymore and just write instead.

I think they put something special in Shiraz - it opens brain space for me that just plain alcohol doesn't. I hate the stuff, tastes like lighter fluid, but damn does it open doors in the subconscious for me.

I didn't HATE Twilight, but I think it could have been much improved with about half the text. I think a great deal of repetitive "OMG! He's GORGEOUS!" and brushing of teeth could have been edited out to it's benefit.

Another good story, told with great mediocrity. Good thing that we already know we're rehashing the same plot lines anyway. If Twilight had to stand as the only love story between human and vampire til the end of time, it would be really depressing.

So, when I'm feeling low about my narrative skills, I do read Twilight (or some other commonally reviled piece of work) and reassure myself that at least I write better than that.

I will give some of the "hacks" this, though - many of them tell great stories. It isn't the stories that are lacking, it's their narrative skills, they're ham-fisted way with words, their lack of literary refinement. As much time as I've spent honing my writing skills, I've not been lucky enough to hit on the story of a lifetime. So, I'm not going to get arrogant; it takes both to create a real masterpiece.

[blacbird]

I am not plagued by doubt. I'm plagued by certainty.

caw

[Ken Hoss]

I am not plagued by doubt. I'm plagued by certainty.

caw

And I'm certain you're full of it. :D


"Doubt is uncomfortable, certainty is ridiculous."
Voltaire


"The demand for certainty is one which is natural to man, but is nevertheless an intellectual vice."
Bertrand Russell

[panda]

Yeah, I actually have posted a few crits in SYW, I just haven't posted my own stuff cause I don't think it's quite ready yet. I think it needs more revision still.



I didn't HATE Twilight, but I think it could have been much improved with about half the text. I think a great deal of repetitive "OMG! He's GORGEOUS!" and brushing of teeth could have been edited out to it's benefit.

Another good story, told with great mediocrity. Good thing that we already know we're rehashing the same plot lines anyway. If Twilight had to stand as the only love story between human and vampire til the end of time, it would be really depressing.

So, when I'm feeling low about my narrative skills, I do read Twilight (or some other commonally reviled piece of work) and reassure myself that at least I write better than that.

I will give some of the "hacks" this, though - many of them tell great stories. It isn't the stories that are lacking, it's their narrative skills, they're ham-fisted way with words, their lack of literary refinement. As much time as I've spent honing my writing skills, I've not been lucky enough to hit on the story of a lifetime. So, I'm not going to get arrogant; it takes both to create a real masterpiece.

Oh, I know and some of the themes are very tempered with Meyers' own life. I saw another thread about worrying if your opinions would come through the narrative, and this totally happens in Twilight. Bella is a thinly veiled Meyers, there's also lots of not so hidden Mormonism and what not, but I still love it. Bella, as a character, also offends modern feminism, she's pretty much a study in codependency (see New Moon lol) and yet I've read that book at least twice. The book defies reason for me. I know I shouldn't like it, yet I do. Sort of like a guilty pleasure. But I do think Meyers has created the most perfect hero with Edward (and not just because Robert Pattinson is so swoony). He's almost too perfect, but that's why boys in fiction are better lol. ;)

[bylinebree]

I mean, the first musical instrument I bought was a drumkit. Then another drummer told me, "You're not a musician - you're a percussionist." Woohoo.

Oh, bull! If you're playing music, you're a musician! (usually) And I've seen all those chicken-scratches a "percussionist" had to read on a score. Not easy. I sure as heck can't drum, but I can play guitar. So am I more of a musician? (how that translates to writing....hmmm)


Then I start writing, and someone tells me that writing isn't an art, it's a craft. Woohoo again.


Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary for "Art" (Def #1) "the use of the imagination to express ideas or feelings, particularly in painting, drawing or sculpture." Skip down to Def #7: "an ability or a skill that you can develop with training or practice." And then there's always Def # 6 which says anything studied that is not a science, like literature, etc.

If you're not bored to death by now...that practically makes "art" and "craft" the same THING.

To that, I join in with your chorus of Woohoo.

[offyatindy]

Writer's Doubt (noun): The excessive worrying that what you've written is complete and utter crap.
Not to be confused with
Writer's Block (noun): of or pertaining to the staunched flow of words.

Ok, so you've written the first page and your pen pauses mid-sentence. It dawns on you this is complete crap, no one will ever read. Your trash bin may even regurgitate the stuff you've written.

So, what do you do to stay your hand from crumpling that bit of paper? (Or ctrl,alt,deleting if you're typing lol) What motivates you to finish a novel? How do you cope with Writer's doubt?


I am reminded of the joke: The young lady and the young man are about to enter an intimate situation. However, before anything takes place, the young lady blurts out, "Who are you going to please with that little thing?"

To which the young man answers, "Me !"

In my endeavor to write a (first) novel, I am creating a world that I enjoy. I would hope others will enjoy it if and when it is published. But for now, as long as I enjoy living in the fictional world that I am creating, that is my litmus test. When my characters go down a road that I don't find interesting, they get thrown in my "overflow" bin. Sometimes they are resurrected. Other times, they remain "crap" or as I like to call it, "overflow."

I will admit that some of my first pages were "crap" and thus were deleted. But after diving into the pool, I won't stop swimming to the finish line. My path, I know is not a straight line. A lot of the work has found its way into the overflow bin. (It was crap!) The entire work, however, is not crap, at least not in my mind.

In summary, I don't think my work is crap when it pleases me. That is the best I can do - that anyone can do until they show it to others. Of course, the real test that determines if a work has value occurs when a customer opens their wallet and pays for it. If they don't, that doesn't necessarily mean the work is "crap," It just might not be as good as you have deluded yourself into thinking it is.

[Logicbomb]

My doubt has many faces. There's the one you mentioned which is "Is this any good? Would anyone like it?"

Then there's the more common doubt that rears it's ugly head my way is "What if... what if I'm not as good as I think I am? What if those horrible fanfics I make fun of actually better written than my prose? Is my main character a Gary Stu? No! He has flaws! He hates everything! But Gary Stu's do that all the time. Shoot! Uhm, quick, give him flaws! HE FARTS WHEN HE'S NERVOUS SAFDSAFDS" and it goes downhill from there.

Then I have friends read my stuff and they tell me it's good, but I still have that little voice telling me they're blowing smoke up my ass because they're my friends and don't wanna hurt my feelings. But I know that's wrong because those same friends pointed out all the flaws in my stuff. But then that voice comes back and is saying "but what if those were the only GLARING mistakes and the whole thing looks like it was written by a toddler with a crayon?"

I just deal by writing, writing, and writing more. And videogames.